What Could Have Been
by MandiPanda21
Summary: Read If You Want To Know


Sitting slouched down in his seat, Aaron tapped his toes to the rhythm of the music that the underground blues band before him played. Alone he sat inhaling the sweet nectar of the cancer stick that laid perfectly between his index and middle fingers. Slowly and smoothly he would sway his head side to side with every strum of the guitar. He sat there ignorant of his surrounds, completely unaware of the young behind him eying his every move.  
  
As he rose to order another beer, the woman, having not taken her eyes off him yet, watched intensely as he asked for his drink at the bar. Upon opening the bottle, he turned facing the band once more as he leaned up against the bar, placing his elbows on the counter for support. As he sipped on his bottle, the beautiful, young, woman approached the bar beside him ordering scotch on the rocks. He was instantly captivated by her beauty. There was something about her beauty that captivated him in a way that was unknown to him. She spoke in a delicate voice that sent shivers up and down his spine, it almost sounded angelic like. And the way her hair brushed gently with every movement she made, made her look as though she was made to be perfect.  
  
After receiving her drink, the woman turned around only to bump into him. "I'm sorry," she apologized as she gazed into his green eyes.  
  
"Oh that's alright," he said absently as he stared into her eyes.  
  
"Has anyone ever told you that you have gorgeous eyes? I've never met a guy with green eyes in my whole life."  
  
"Well, it must be your lucky day," he smiled.  
  
"Yeah..." absently she spoke, still staring into his eyes. After snapping back into reality she looked at her watch and discovered that it was time for her to leave. "I'm sorry, I must be going. I have a deadline to meet."  
  
"What do you do?" Curiously he asked, also wanting to keep her there a little longer.  
  
"I'm an artist. I paint, draw, you know, things along those lines." She paused for a moment as a crazy idea popped into her head. "I have an idea," she said slowly hesitating, "would you mind helping me out?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"See, I have to draw a male figure for a class of mine and well, I was wondering if you'd consider being my still life?"  
  
Aaron thought about it for a moment. He didn't see anything wrong with it and he saw this a good way of getting to know her better. "I'd love to."  
  
"I should have told you this first, but..I uh...well I need you to pose nude. Is that a problem?"  
  
"Not at all. I mean we are mature adults, are we not?"  
  
She watched him carefully as he entered her apartment, walking smoothly on the heels of his scuffed cowboy boots. She knew from the moment that she laid eyes on him that there was a wild side to him.  
  
"So what do you do for a living, Aaron?" she asked as she threw her coat over the arm of her couch.  
  
"I'm a 8th grade history teacher," he said as he went about her living room checking out photos and drawings all done by her.  
  
"Oh really?" she said, unable to hide her skepticism, sparked by his long brown hair, tongue piercing, and ear piercing.  
  
"Yeah," he smiled, more intimately than she was prepared for. As she turned on the lights around the room she could feel his eyes wandering along her back. He stayed where he was and went on, "It's something I enjoy doing."  
  
"We' ll be working over here," she said as she pointed him to her corner where she worked. It was the only section in her apartment which remained the brightest for most of the time. It was cramped for room, but she didn't need much room to do what she loved. Just give her a pencil or a paint brush with a canvass and she was ready to go.  
  
Aaron walked into her little corner asking, "Should I strip now?" Their eyes met, and for the first time in her life, after drawing nudes for the past 5 years or so, she felt nervous.  
  
"Have you ever done this before?" she asked as she cleared a stool for him to pose upon.  
  
"What, taken my clothes off for a beautiful woman?" he flung a mischievous smile at her, one that all girls melted for.  
  
"Actually my question was have you ever done this before?" she asked now starting to feel the electricity between them heating up the room. She figured it was either that or the alcohol working on her.  
  
"You know, you never told me your name. What shall I call you?"  
  
"Nothing for now. Depending on what kind of still life you are, I'll see about telling you my name," she said mysteriously as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, brushing the few lose strands of hair aside. "Go ahead and get undressed. You can use the bathroom down the hall, first door on the right."  
  
"Is it necessary for me to change there? I mean. you are going to be drawing me nude. It's not like I'm going to be hiding anything."  
  
"Change where you want. I just thought you may be uncomfortable. I'm going to make a pot of coffee, want anything?" Aaron shook his head as she went into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. As she was getting the pot ready she decided that she didn't need it, so she instead grabbed a glass of water.  
  
"So back to this name business, what does your boyfriend call you?" she heard Aaron call out from the living room.  
  
She walked back into the living room and found him staring at a picture she had hanging up on the wall. She was a little startled at first to see him completely nude. Aaron could tell that she was a little thrown off, so he repeated his question. "Huh?" she said absently. "Oh." snapping back into reality, "I don't have a boyfriend."  
  
"I don't believe it," he said as he took a picture into his hands. "A beautiful woman like you doesn't have a boyfriend. Why ever not?"  
  
"I don't know," she shrugged her shoulders. "I guess romance is the last thing I'm looking for right now." She wondered why he was staring at that picture for so long. She wondered if he was laughing or was just curious. She walked beside him and grabbed it out from his hands, "Something you like about this?"  
  
"Did someone paint you?" he asked as he peered closely.  
  
"Yeah, it was for a project of mine. I wore a bikini and had a few friends of mine cover me up in all different color paints."  
  
Aaron seemed particularly fascinated by this picture; he touched it with his finger, "How did it feel?"  
  
"A bit cold, but it did tickle and itch," she responded as she placed the picture back in it's place.  
  
He turned toward her, barely inches away from touching her. She could feel his warm breath as he asked, "Will you paint me?" He implored to her as though he was a little boy, and it made her a little weak in the knees.  
  
She breath caught for a moment, the reaction startling her just a bit, "Uh...maybe another time. I have a deadline, remember? Why don' t you have a seat on the stool by the lights," she said. "I'll be right there." She turned toward the bathroom, entered, and closed the door. Her heart was beating urgently, and in the mirror she saw her chest was flushed red. She ran the water and washed her hands as she ran her wet hands over her face gently. When she emerged, there he was, twirling wildly on the stool, comfortable and amused.  
  
"Hi," he said, dragging a bare foot along the floor to stop the spinning. He faced her and smiled.  
  
"Your muscles are being featured," She said, and looked at him, at his body. He would be easy to draw. Even relaxed, his muscles were defined, fluid, dynamic, shaped like the books said they should be. "All right," I said, "just listen, don't talk. Move only when I tell you." He nodded slightly. "I need to see your right side," she added as she got up. She twisted the stool, "Put your right hand on your right knee--what's this?" she said as she took a step back.  
  
"Is that a problem?" he asked a little worried.  
  
"A tattoo?"  
  
He looked down at it, then up at her, smiling sheepishly, proudly. "Living art," he said.  
  
"Right." she laughed. There was an unbalanced silence while she inspected it, intrigued. "It's not a problem," she said. She rubbed her finger over the picture embedded in his skin; it was firm and smooth. When she looked up, Aaron was watching her and their faces were close; she could feel his warm breath, and again she stepped back. "We need a little music," she said as she turned up the radio.  
  
It's hot tonight And I love the heat It makes me sweat It makes me dream  
  
It's hot tonight So hot tonight And oh....it feels so right  
  
This evening was different, however; from any other night. It was as if her pencil was running over Aaron, not her paper. She could sense his body heat, smell his skin, feel him quiver in response to her light touch. Or maybe it was his body she sensed, suffused with a tingling awareness in response to his reckless sensuality.  
  
August nights were always humid in New York; this night being no different, and the heat was beginning to take a slow toll on both of them. Aaron watched intently as she sketched the outline of his torso, wiping away small beams of sweat from her forehead every time she got more into her drawing. She could feel the heat causing her temperature to rise. No matter how many fans ran throughout her air condition less apartment, her clothes stuck to her skin.  
  
And in the middle of the night I want you here In the middle of the night I know you're near In the middle of the night That long and lonely night  
  
"I need you to move a little like..." she started to explain, but soon gave up once she saw how confused Aaron now was. She placed her pencil in her mouth as she moved him and the stool to her desired pose. Taking a step back to check if the pose was right, she heard the phone ring and stepped forward quickly only to catch her foot on the leg of the stool. Aaron sat there calmly as he broke her fall, catching her in his arms. "I'm...I'm sorry," she spoke softly as her thoughts wandered elsewhere.  
  
Still taste your touch You know I do It's what you do I still want you  
  
Their lips moved closer and touched. His tongue reached out and her teeth parted for its entry. Her hands moved around his neck and she stroked her fingers through his thick, dark hair. As their tongues caressed and his hands massaged, they both leaned slightly, lost their balance, and rolled onto the floor that was covered in a white tarp. Aaron lowered his head and began biting and kissing as he progressed down her neck.  
  
In the night Your touch is a feather And in the heat You make me shiver  
  
The front door to the apartment slowly opened, revealing a tall, dark haired man in the hall. Aaron and she had already moved away from one another as soon as they heard the door click, so the man had not seen anything going on between the two.  
  
"Hello, Nick," she murmured, looking up. She looked over to Aaron; he hadn't moved his body with this interruption, just his face, and he seemed intrigued to be naked under the circumstances.  
  
"Excuse me," Nick said. "I didn't realize you'd still be working this late. I just want to place my things down and I'll get out of your way, honey," he said as he lovingly placed a kiss upon her cheek. She didn't respond much to the touch of his lips. Instead of kissing him back she went back to her work, which seemed to her much more interesting. Aaron though wondered if it was the work itself or him that she was interested in.  
  
And in the middle of the night I want you here In the middle of the night I know you're near In the middle of the night That long and lonely night  
  
It's hot tonight So hot tonight And oh....it feels so right  
  
"Don't bother leaving," she said standing up and running her hands over her thighs. "I'm finished. Aaron, you can get dressed and I'll get your money together."  
  
Aaron felt rather hurt, almost like she was just using him as a toy when he knew for a fact she was feeling something for him. She relaxed a little when he shrugged and reached for his jeans. The moment was quiet, and very long as Aaron put his clothes back on. He didn't even bother to change in the bathroom, so she switched off the lights in the corner.  
  
She decided to walk him out while Nick was changing out his work clothes. In the hall they said their goodbyes. "Thank you, whoever you are," he grinned and winked. "I hope to see you around town some time."  
  
"Maybe," she said as she turned around and closed the door, never knowing that she would not see him ever again.  
  
And in the middle of the night I want you here In the middle of the night I know you're near In the middle of the night That long and lonely night  
  
It's hot tonight So hot tonight "Sorry I interrupted. I thought . . . " Nick began to apologize.  
  
She turned around to see Nick standing beside the stereo, looking small somehow, diminished and vulnerable. She felt a stab of pity cross my chest and walked over and embraced him, "How could you think you interrupted? You live here," she said as she kissed him.  
  
He smiled and said, "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
She waited, sitting on the arm of the sofa, and thought. Nick and she had been living together for two years, two solid, steadfast years. He was faithful and devoted, a good companion. She thought of him as my anchor, keeping her even and straight. Still, she often felt the cord to that anchor straining, threatening to break loose and send her bobbing away. Even in their work, there was a distance between them. She spent her time doing who knows what--sketching hunks like Aaron, drinking espresso with too much sweetener, laughing with strangers at bus stops, while he stayed up late correcting high school test papers along with coming up with his lessons for the next week. They were different and barely had time for each other...at least Nick didn't. She always had time for him, but when it came down to important things school always came first for him. As she feel asleep that night thoughts of Aaron, not Nick floated through her mind 


End file.
